Balanced vs. Unbalanced - What does it mean?

It would be a concern if the outputs of a pro-oriented source component, or a pro-oriented equalizer or processor, were fed into the line-level inputs or tape inputs of a consumer-oriented preamplifier

Exactly. If you use a Benchmark DAC1 with the XLR ouput into a consumer grade preamp or poweramp then you will probably need to set the attenuator pad in the DAC1 to drop the signal level by 20db. (This is wasteful of the higher ouput capability of pro balanced lines. It is generally a good rule of thumb to use higher level signals to give you more dynamic range over the equipment noise floor. It may well be enough of a difference to be able to hear something very soft or 60 db down versus not hearing it at all...)

I'm not sure if this has already been noted here, but I'd like to clarify: You cannot be sure that an unbalanced output can be effectively run into a balanced XLR input merely by the simple addition of a physical adaptor. ARC gear will not work correctly in this set-up. That is why ARC sold their transformer.

IIRC, ARC's power amp protection circuitry will be triggered by the unbalanced input signal and severely limit the amp's power output. This is evidently a function of the protection scheme that ARC uses in its power amps. Other brands may (or may not) have similar problems. Probably best to check with the manufacturer.

Good Luck.

Marty

Best advice provided, IMO:

08-24-09: Blindjim

Try 'em out and see for yourself.

The technical discussion is educational, but for this OP, I'll wager listening is more helpful.

If a difference can be heard between running single ended versus running single ended to balanced using RCA>XLR adapters, then that's a positive step. The next step is to determine what sounds best *to the listener*. In the end, that's all that matters.

PS - IMO, there's zero benefit connecting single ended outputs (Linn) to balanced inputs (MC402). Might as well run single ended. But, try it both ways and decide for yourself.

Then, the next step is to determine what sounds best *to the listener*. In the end, that's all that matters.

I think we all agree on this but "try 'em out and see" is not helping to increase understanding. (I am sure that Cam will take this for granted - I am sure he is going to listen and see)

However, a listen and see kind of approach is exactly how sonic properties become associated with interconnecting wires when the root cause is equipment related or impedance matching or mistaken volume level matching or any of hundreds of possibilities that have nothing to do with the purity of the copper. Creating a new myth every month, week or day.

Sometimes (perhaps often) degradation to a musical source is not always inherently obvious to even a trained listener (small amounts of compression and distortion can even regarded perceptively as pleasant or an improvement). This is why there are companies like Audio Precision otherwise we could ALL, as an entire industry, simply "try 'em out and see". Sadly "try 'em out and see" is the only approach that some manufacturers actually practice. This is how you end up with nice sounding products that do not reproduce the source material with much accuracy (measure badly but are claimed to be SOTA).

In the end, a system built according to correct theory may still sound like crap compared with one assembled by someone with less technical acumen, but with better "ears" (i.e., judgment, taste, experience, etc).

And that's the irony of the whole discussion.